Mad Dog - 617 (1977)

Aquarius Records:

"Cow bell knockin', kick-ass hard rockin' seventies proto-metal here folks! Michigan power trio Mad Dog's lone album, cryptically entitled 617, was a private press LP originally released in 1977, though recording began back in '74. It features a raw production, heavy guitars, rough and ready vocal wailin', and songs that blend urgent, punkish energy with more languid psych stylings. Sounds like these guys didn't live too far from Detroit. And it's got a whiff of Blue Cheer and even the Pink Fairies, at least enough that we expect this tuff lil' low-budget obscurity might well charm those of you into that sort of thing."

Acid Archives:

"This is a weird minimalist hard rock album. The cover is a b/w drawing of an outer space scene with a bunch of headless naked female bodies, and the record is just as stark and mysterious. Though the cover says the songs were recorded between 1974 and 1976 the music has an early punk rock feel with thick distortion on the rhythm guitars and no apparent instrumental overdubs. The drumming is frantic but the songs are of medium speed. This is a curiosity because it's completely bleak, it sounds like nothing else and appears to have no specific influences, with one unfortunate exception. The ghost of Michigan's past rears its ugly head with the annoying throaty vocal style, a dead ringer for the Frost's Don Hartman, who made his presence known on the horrible live side of Rock And Roll Music. In any case, if it wasn't for all of the singer's growling, this would be pretty interesting stuff. As it is, it's supremely annoying." (buy it)

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Mad Dog - Goodnight